Combined uncottpling-lever and coupling-positioning- device



W. P. MURPHY.

COMBINED UNCOUPLING LEVER AND COUPLING POSITIONING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1911.

1,314,283. PatentedAug. 26,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

6 InIII I 9 LII l Tm: COLUMBIA PLANoanAr-u cm, WASHINGTON C w. P. MURPHY. CDMBINED UNCOUPLING LEVER AND COUPLING POSIYIONING DFVICC.

APPLICATION flL ED JUNE 18. I917- 1,31 4,283. Patented Aug. 26, 1919."

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I

WALTER I. MURPHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED UNCOUPLING-LEVER AND COUPLING-POSITIONING DEVICE.

Original application filed December 7, 1916, Serial No.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 26, 1919.

135,626. Divided and this application filed June 18,

1917. Serial No. 175,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVALTER I. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Unconpling-Levers and Coupling-Positioning Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Couplers have from 3 to 3.5 inches lateral motion on carrier irons, normally, but when the draft sills are damaged it is possible for the coupler to have a greater lateral movment.

l/Vhen cars are left standing in railway yards, and about industrial plants, in which the outside rail or curves is considerably higher than the inside rail, the coupler is thrown, swings, or slides over toward the inside rail. It .is also frequently necessary to'couple cars on a sharp curve, in which event it is necessary to push both couplers as far as possible to the inside of the curve, so that the couplers will engage each other. In this connection the Interstate Commerce Commission have reported that many accidents have been caused by the traimnen attempting to position the couplers on the carrier iron to suit nequiremeuts, so that it would meet the opposing coupler, this operation making it necessary for a man to place some portion of his body, usually his foot or arm between the cars, generally while they are in motion. A great many employees have had feet or hands crushed in this way. The annual reports show that over 10% of coupler accidents are due to adjustingthe couplers.

The primary object of my invention is to provide means whereby the coupler may be positioned without the operator placing any portion of his body between the cars, and to hold it there while the cars are being coupled.

A further object of my invention is to provide a positioning device which will not, in its installation, interfere with the air brake or signal couplings, or lock pins, and which requires no alteration of any part of a car or locomotive.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combined uncoupling lever and positioning device, whereby no additional bolts and brackets are necessary; and with these and other objects in view my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts as will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of a part of a car to which my invention is attached.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, the end sill being in section.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the outside bracket.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and S are detail views of the outer end of the hand operated lever and its bracket showing the different positions assumed by the lever and its handle in operation.

This application is a division of my application tiled December 7, 1916, Serial No. 135,626.

The reference numeral 1 designates a car to which the end sill 9. is secured. The conpler 3 is of standard construction and is provided with a lock pin 4.

Many cars are equipped with the swing carry iron shown in the drawing. The carrier being pivotally mounted on the swingingly mounted arms 6, the trunnions 7 of which bear on the block 8. The object of a swingino carry iron is to permit it to swing with t 10 coupler under service conditions thereby eliminating relative lateral movement between the coupler and carry iron. Any preferred type of swinging carry iron may be used with my invention. In fact the carry iron need not be a swinging one as far as my invention is concerned as it is one of the purposes of my invention to center a coupler irrespective of any particular type of carry iron.

The inner end of the operating rod 11 is preferably rcvolubly mounted in a bracket 10 suitably secured to a car, positionedto permitof the successful operation of the parts. Any preferred type of bracket may be used.

The inner end of the operating rod or lever 11 is bent downward and outward as at 12 and thence forward as at 13 parallel with the main body of the rod; the end portion being reduced in diameter as at 14 and provided with suitable screw threads; the reduced portion 14; being adapted to pass through the eye of the lock pin l, of the coupler, to which pin it is secured by means of nuts 15 or other suitable devices.

The outer end of the rod 11 is provided with a depending handle 16 with which it has a pivotal connection as clearly shown, the end of the rod being reduced; as at 17 while the upper end of the handle is forked to receive-the reduced portion 17 and is secured thereto bymeans of the pin 18.

The upper end of the handle 16 is en.- larged to form a head 19 whereby shoulders 20, 21, are formed at the'juncture of the head and handle, to be hereinafter referred to. I

The bracket for the outer end of the rod 11 comprises a base plate 22 having suitable openings 23 through which bolts, rivets, and the like may pass, whereby the bracket may. be secured to the end of the car. A loop is secured to the base plate 22 each side arm of which is bent at substantially right angles thereby constituting bottom arms 24, 25, and front arms 26, 27, the outer end of the arms 26, 27 being connected by a cross piece 28 which constitutes a stop to limit the upward movement of the handle 16; the arms 24,25, 26, 27, being curved, at their juncture as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8.

Normally the handle 16 is in the position shown in 4. In the event that the coupler has moved over toward the right, under the conditions hereinbefore mentioned, andit is desired or necessary to center it, the handle 16-is moved inward to the position shown in Fig. 5,'the shoulder 21, bearing on the arm 24 ofthe loop, the arm 24 functioning as a fulcrum whereby the coupler, through the rod is pulled toward the left and centered. In the event that it is desired or necessary to move the coupler toward the left, the handle 16 is. moved to the position shownin Fig. 6 in which case the shoulder bears on the arm 25, of the loop, said arm functioning asa fulcrum.

To operate the lock pin 4, the handle 16 is pulled upward as shown in Fig. 8, whereupon by reason of the crank formation of the inner end of the, rod 11 the lock pin is pulled upward to release the knuckleof the coupler, the shoulders 20, 21, of the handle sliding onthe top rounded face of the arms 24,25, 26,27, ofv the loop of the outside bracket.

Many changes may be made, in the details of construction which I have-employed for the purposes of illustrating my invention without departing from the spirit of my invention, the basic principle of which is a coupler pin operating rod or lever which is attached to the coupler in such manner that it can be used to operate the lock pin, throw the knuckle, or look set the coupler or position the coupler laterally as desired.

That I; claim is 1. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a car coupler, laterally movableat its outer endwith respect to the car, of a rod revolubly mounted on the car and operatively connected at its inner end to said coupler, a common bearing and fulcrum in which the outer end of the rod is operatively mounted, and an operating" handle at the outer end of said rod, whereby said rod may be revolved in and the handle fulcrumed on said bearing and fulcrumtooperate the, coupler and to position the coupler in alinement with a coupler on an adjacent car. i

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, of a rod revolubly mounted on the car and operatively connected at its inner end to saidcoupler', a common bearing and fulcrum in which the outer end of said rod is operatively mounted, and an operating handle pivotally mounted on the outer end of said rod, whereby said rod may be revolved in and fulcrumed on said outer bracket to operate the coupler and to position the coupler in alinement with the coupler on an adjacent car.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car coupler laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, of a rod revolubly mounted on the car. and operatively connected at its inner end to said coupler, a bracket having a common bearing andfulcrum in which the outer end of the rod is pivotally mounted, and an operating handle pivotally mounted on the outer end of said rod and depending through the bracket, whereby said rod may be revolved in and the handle fulcrumed on said outer bracket to operate the coupler and to position the coupler in alinement with the coupler on an adjacent car.

4. In a device of the character described. the combination with a coupler operating rod'revolubly mounted in brackets on a car; one of said brackets comprising a base and an angular loop extending forwardly from said base.

5. In a device of thecharacter described. the combinationwith a coupler and its lock and means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means'including a lever rotatably mounted and operatively connected with said lock, and a bracket for the outer end ofsaid lever, said bracket being substantially U shaped and means to limit the revolution of said lever.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a laterally movable coupler, of means for shifting said coupler,- said means including a bodily shiftable rod operatively connected at its inner end to said coupler, a bracket having a common bearing and fulcra in which theouter end of the rod is mounted, and a handle pivotally connected to the outer end of the rod and depending through said bracket and be tween the fulcra.

7 In a device of the character described,

a bracket having a common bearing and fulcrum.

8. In a device of the character described, a bracket comprising a base, spaced parallel arms extending forwardly from said base and connected at their outer ends, said arms being bent upwardly at substantially right angles.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a lever, and a handle pivotally mounted on the outer end of said lever, of a bracket in which the outer end of the lever is revolubly mounted, said bracket comprising a base, parallel and angularly upwardly deflected arms extending from said base, a stop connecting the outer ends of said arms, whereby said arms constitute a bearing on which the lever may be revolved and fulcrumed for said handlewhereby the lever may be shifted bodily.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a. lever, and a handle pivotally mounted on the outer end of said lever, rounded bearings on said lever near the upper end thereof, of a bracket in which the outer end of the lever is revolubly mounted, said bracket comprising a base, parallel angularly upwardly deflected arms extending from said base, a stop connecting the outer ends of said arms, whereby said arms constitute a bearing on which the lever may be revolved and fulcrums for said handle, engaged by the bearings on the handle whereby said lever may be shifted bodily.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with a coupler, the outer end of which is movable relatively to a car, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means including a lever and a substantially U-shaped member secured to a car to form a closed loop, the legs of the loop forming fulcrums for said lever either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever for shifting said coupler laterally.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination with a laterally movable coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means involving a lever and a closed loop secured to a car, the legs of said loop forming fulcrums for said lever either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever, for shifting said coupler laterally.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with a laterally movable coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means involving a lever, and a closed loop secured to a car, said loop being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, the legs of said loop forming fulcrums for said lever either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever for shifting said coupler laterally.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination with a coupler, the outer end of which is movable laterally relatively to a car, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means including a lever and two fulcrum members secured to the car, the outer ends of said fulcrum members being connected, said fulcrum members forming fulcrums for said lever, either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever for-shifting said coupler laterally.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination with a laterally movable coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means including a lever, and a closed loop secured to a car, the sides of said loop forming fulcrums for said lever, either of which-is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever for shifting said coupler laterally.

16. In mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a laterally movable coupler, of means for shifting said coupler laterally, said means involving a lever and a U-shaped member secured through its legs to the car, the legs of said U-shaped member forming fulcrums for said lever either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by said lever for shifting said coupler laterally.

17. In a device of the character described, a bracket provided with a portion constituting both a bearing and a fulcrum.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination with a car coupler, laterally movable at its outer end with respect to the car, of a rod revolubly mounted on the car and connected at its inner end to the said coupler, a bracket provided with a portion constituting both a bearing and a fulcrum in which the outer end of the rod is mounted, and an operating handle at the outer end of said rod, whereby the rod may be revolved in and the handle fulcrumed on said bearing and fulcrum to operate the coupler and to position the coupler in alinement with a coupler on an adjacent car.

19. In a device of the character described, a. bracket having a portion constituting a bearing and a fulcrum, and an operating handle mounted on said bearing and fulcrum, and a rod connecting said handle and the coupler.

WLALTER P. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner'of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

